Managing Back Pain in the Elderly

​Neck and back pain is a disorder many associate with old age, however that couldn't be further from the fact. In fact, the age most likely to suffer back pain and to suffer bad pain in the back is 35-55 years old, with a sharp decline in reported pain in the back from the age of 55 onwards. The reason for this is quite simple: neck and back pain are normally triggered by lifestyle aspects, and these lifestyle aspects, such as investing excessive time at a desk, consuming processed food, or hurting yourself playing sports, are less typical after retirement.

Nevertheless, this does not mean that the senior are free of pain in the back. Rather, that it takes place more seldom, and for a little various factors, than in younger people. So exactly what causes are there of back pain in the elderly, and how can we work to treat and manage them?

Lots of older people experience osteoporosis, and post-menopausal, women specifically so. Osteoporosis should not, in and of itself, cause pain in the back. It is in fact simply the loss of bone density. Nevertheless, osteoporosis can add to bad posture, weak or loose joints, as well as fractures, which can trigger neck and back pain. If you suffer osteoporosis and experience abrupt, sharp pain in the back, it is crucial to get emergency situation medical care, as you might have suffered a compression fracture, which might put your mobility or perhaps your life at risk. Decreasing the advancement of osteoporosis is the one way of preventing osteoporosis-related pain in the back.

Arthritis is a typical source of back pain. This swelling and wear down of the joints can impact any joint in the body, and the spine is no exception. As the inflammation develops, it can cause serious discomfort, even when you are stagnating. And sometimes the wear down on the joints can be so serious that you are forced to embrace unhealthy postures like a hunched over position, which can trigger muscular and tendon discomforts as well. Consuming an anti-inflammatory diet and taking anti-inflammatory medication can assist a lot when it concerns back pain from arthritis.

However, the usual causes of back pain can still strike as we age. Inactivity is a huge reason for back pain. When you do stagnate or exercise your back muscles enough, they can begin to waste away. This loss of muscle makes your back weak, destroying your posture and creating pain in the back. However it also makes you vulnerable to injuries, and less able to recover from an injury. Although normally older individuals are more active than working age individuals, many older individuals discover it hard to stay active due to other injuries or conditions.

It can be hard to obtain moving when you are older, however like with many things, the more you do it the easier it gets. It is necessary to keep in mind that you do not have to be doing anything amazing to grow your muscles. You simply need to move a little and carry a little weight from time to time. Even a few minutes a day of light yoga could start to improve your back muscles and ease your pain. And the stronger you get and the less discomfort you suffer, the much easier you will find it to exercise more, developing a healthy cycle.

Another physical concern is that older individuals are most likely to be overweight than more youthful individuals. Between lower rates of sport and extreme inactivity, a lowered metabolic process, and a quieter life, your metabolic requirements will gradually reduce as you age, meaning you require far less calories to sustain or put on weight. For this reason it is suggested for older people with back pain to consider losing some weight, to ease the pressure on their spine, which might alleviate their neck and back pain.

Lastly, simply remaining mobile, even if you can not exercise much, can assist to ease a great deal of tightness and pain in the back. A lot of neck and back pain actually originates from just not using the joints and muscles in your back the way nature meant. When you move your joints you are promoting flexibility and lubrication, making you less likely to suffer tightness or injury when you are setting about your life.